Golden Gate Estates man arrested for threatening to kill his pregnant wife

Deputies say a Golden Gate Estates father threatened to kill his pregnant wife after he beat up their young child.

Collier County Sheriff’s Office arrested convicted felon Yonadry Leiva, 28, for beating his own child Monday.

The report said, when a child in Leiva’s home started to cry, he grabbed the baby from the mother and “threw her down into the crib.”

The report said, Leiva also spanked the baby three times. And when the mother, who is pregnant, tried to stop it, Leiva tried to strangle her.

The report said, Leiva wants to “killer her and that unborn child she is carrying.”

“Until we decide to address it as a community as zero tolerance, it will continue to be a black spot on our community,” Kristin Depaola said.

Domestic violence experts said cases like this are too common until something is done about them as a whole.

“An abuser will use anything they can to keep control or a sense of control and to manipulate the victim,” said Amal Bernal, a psychotherapist. “And often times, unfortunately, it’s the child.”

Bernal is passionate about helping victims of domestic violence because she’s been one herself.

“It’s widespread,” Bernal said. “It’s in all socioeconomic forms, all populations, all ethnic backgrounds. None of us can escape it.”

Unless we raise awareness to it and have zero tolerance for it in our community.

“I feel like there if there is no voice, and we don’t advocate through education,” Bernal said. “We will never be able to prevent this.”

Leiva faces aggravated battery and child abuse charges.

The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence reports one in four women will experience some sort of domestic violence in their lifetime.